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So, Kevin Pietersen is not wanted by English Cricket – remarkable. Leaving aside the cricketing merits of Pietersen, I wonder how many firms out there would make the same decision and, if so, what that tells us about the value of the ‘right culture’.

One of the disciplines within the Risk-Based Performance Management methodology is Culture. We believe that culture is at the heart of any firm that can successfully execute its strategy and effectively manage its risk. Therefore, it is important to manage and develop your firm’s culture, however like the English Cricket team management, the management of firms have important decisions to make when bringing people ‘into the team’ related to culture.

Clearly the English Cricket team management have made a judgement that the value that Kevin Pietersen can bring to the team is not worth the risk of having him in the team.

How would your firm react in a similar situation?

If your firm could hire a top trader with a proven track record of outstanding performance, but who is known not to be a team player, and who is known to be disruptive within a team environment, would your firm hire that trader?

If your firm could hire your main competitor’s star salesperson, the person who consistently smashes their quote and achieves their targets, but equally, the person who is known to be all about themselves and not about the team, the person who is known to be difficult to manage and disruptive – would your firm hire that salesperson?

Be they traders, salespeople or any other ‘rain maker’ roles, such people have can bring enormous value to your firm in the form of new business, revenue and growth, but if they are Kevin Pietersen type characters, are they worth it? How much do firms value their culture and how deliberately do they seek to shape and nurture it? Are the mavericks in the business world as unloved as a certain maverick in the cricketing world?